The Mom In The Yellow Hat: Lessons Learned from Cartoon Parents

My kiddos probably get a little more than the recommended screen time. We’re working on backing off the built-in babysitter, but it’s tough! In the meantime, one thing we have tried to do “right” is actually be present and pay attention while they’re watching.

So, over the last few years, it’s only natural that we’ve picked up a lesson or two from our favorite TV parents.

Curious George
Oh, how we love The Man with the Yellow Hat. Whether he’s riding a horse or a hang glider to rescue his mischievous monkey, the man astounds us with his awesomeness. You almost never see him sweat no matter what antics George gets into. He chuckles, rolls his eyes, and figures out a solution. He is a constant reminder to lighten up, have a little fun, and be cool. But, dude, seriously — supervise your monkey a little more.

Sid the Science Kid
By far, Sid’s parents are the most true to life out of the shows we watch. The dad burns pancakes, and the mom doesn’t mind checking the computer if she doesn’t know the answer to one of Sid’s many, many questions. They’re a little bit goofy, and they seem to have a lot of fun. I also love that they don’t hesitate to call on the village (in this case, Grandma) as needed, and they gave us an awesome going-to-school song to use every day.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Speaking of songs, that has been the most valuable takeaway from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: There’s a song for every situation. If Sid’s parents are the most realistic, Daniel Tiger’s parents are the parents we want to be when we grow up. Calm, cool, and collected almost all the time. When they do get frustrated, they’re quick to turn it around, usually with a song.

In fact, while my kids have no doubt benefited from the lessons learned in Daniel Tiger, I’ve also put them into practice in parenting more times than I can count, and I believe I’m a better parent for it.

There are plenty of shows where the parents only make token appearances or are downright out of the picture (and that’s okay sometimes too!), but we’ve really appreciated what we’ve seen from these three shows.

As you can probably tell, we are primarily a PBS family, but I’m sure plenty of other shows feature great parents as well.

What are some of the best lessons you’ve learned from your kids’ favorite TV shows?

About Tiffany

Tiffany is an Alabama expat who has been married to Jason since 2005 and has called Fort Worth home since 2007. They welcomed Catherine in 2012 and Nina in 2013. Tiffany recently retired after 10 years of librarian life to focus full-time on doctoral work at the University of North Texas and part-time on health and fitness coaching. In her spare (ha!) time, she enjoys blogging at tiffanynorris.com, tweeting (@mrsmcbookworm), podcasting (OnTheGo.fm), watching sports (Roll Tide!), and walking with Fred, their Bichon Frise. You will rarely find her without a cup of coffee, and she is a big believer in the one-minute dance party.